


I never liked the quiet before

by amixii10, DaFishi



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Fire Lord Zuko, Fluff, Gaang fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Canon, Super Light Angst, Zuko is tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25137613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amixii10/pseuds/amixii10, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaFishi/pseuds/DaFishi
Summary: Zuko has trouble being the new Firelord. Luckily, his friends have his back.
Relationships: Sokka/ Zuko (mentioned), Zuko & The Gaang
Comments: 20
Kudos: 169





	I never liked the quiet before

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raven96](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raven96/gifts).



> how the hell do I title
> 
> also if you get the reference I automatically love you

“Watch it,” he mutters to a poor servant who happened to be in his way. The servant bows and apologizes before skittering away. The guilt hits nearly instantly. Why did he do that? The poor guy was just trying to do his job for the Firelord, and Zuko had terrified him. Was this a sign that he was becoming like his father? He didn’t want people to look at him with the same kind of fear that they looked at his father with… 

Zuko shakes his head to himself. No, he wasn’t becoming like his father. (Or was he? The small voice in the back of his mind persists.) He just wanted to go to sleep and deal with his problems like a normal civilian, instead of like some high-class lord. He was nineteen, goddamit. He should be allowed to run around with his friends and make messes and blow things up- he should be able to have fun. Zuko continues to wallow in his misery as he makes his way up to his chamber. He could be depressed later, but for now, he had to get dressed for meeting minister-what’s-her-name of the Earth Kingdom. He trudges into his room and changes into red robes with a green tint specifically designed for meeting with the Earth Kingdom officials. Zuko forces himself to go downstairs and meet the minister, even though every cell in his body is telling him not to. 

“Good afternoon, Firelord Zuko,” the minister says to him, bowing slightly in respect. He feels his irritation growing even more. Zuko gives her a strained smile and makes himself return the formality, and they commence the meeting. He finds himself becoming even more fidgety and bothered as the time goes on. His secretary doesn’t let that slip his notice, and Minister Ama tries to make their meeting go slightly faster so that she’s out of his hands. If someone asked Zuko what their meeting was about, he wouldn’t be able to answer- he just wanted it to end. 

“Sorry to interrupt you, Minister, but can we move this meeting to another time? It’s getting quite late.” Zuko looks at his secretary in surprise. He never spoke out during a meeting unless it was necessary, and looking out the windows, anyone could tell that it was early evening, not even half as late as some of his meetings went until. 

Minister Ama looks startled. “Uh,” she says, losing composure for a moment. “Of course! We could move it to early tomorrow morning, if you’d like? I’ll be in the city until tomorrow afternoon.” Zuko smiles for the first time since that morning. She leaves quickly, seemingly as willing to leave as Zuko himself. 

“Would you like me to invite Avatar Aang, Mistress Beifong, and Katara and Sokka of the Water Tribe to the palace for the night? It seems that all of them are in the city tonight,” his secretary asks, cleaning up the meeting papers. 

“Yes, please. That would be appreciated, Secretary Lemi,” Zuko says, trying to keep his emotions hidden. His secretary smiles discreetly. 

He bounds up the stairs when he tells him that his friends were there. The airship was just landing, and his eyes light up as he sees his friends again for the first time in months. As soon as the doors open, Zuko is practically run over by Aang and Katara. 

“Zuko!! I missed you so much!” Aang says, clinging onto him like a koala-lemur. Katara holds on just as tight, and soon Sokka and Toph join them in their group hug. 

“I missed you guys a lot! You won’t believe how boring my job is,” he says. Sokka scoffs. 

“You think you have a tough job? Try convincing an entire legion of old guys to recruit younger people and sending the people in their ranks back home,” Sokka says, clearly exasperated. “It was an absolute shitstorm. I wish you were there- I bet you could’ve figured out how to deal with them.” Katara looks scandalized at Sokka’s language. 

Zuko laughs mirthfully for the first time in months and pulls Sokka close to him, kissing his head. “I wish I was there. That would’ve been better than meeting with new ministers every day who talk for hours on end. Also,” he says, pausing for effect, “I think I made one of my new servants shit himself this morning.” Sokka and Toph bust a gut laughing. 

“You? Mr.I-cry-over-dead-birds terrified someone? Sounds fake, but okay,” Toph says, gesticulating exaggeratedly. Zuko laughs again. He ruffles her hair, and she grabs him in a headlock. A guard steps forward, and Zuko sends him away. 

“Really, thank you guys so much for coming. I missed you a lot,” he says, getting soft for a second. Katara gives him a slow smile. Aang holds onto him even tighter. 

“No problem, Zuko. We missed you too.” 

Zuko smiles.


End file.
